Published February 2004

Education Briefs

Start of New Horizons program delayed
Edmonds Community College will have to wait until this fall to offer free college-level courses to low-income adults interested in the humanities. The reason: low enrollment.

The college had hoped to begin classes in January with lessons covering art history, moral philosophy, U.S. history, literature, critical thinking and field trips to galleries, museums and public lectures.

The program, called New Horizons through the Humanities, is inspired by the Clemente Courses, a series of humanities classes first offered in New York city in 1995 that were aimed at helping low-income residents participate more in their communities from a social and political perspective.

Organizers say they are confident the class will succeed once it gets going. Finding students, many of whom were unsuccessful when they were in school, can be challenging.

Lela Hilton, coordinator of EdCC’s New Horizons program, said the college will have more time to find students now, and the wait will be worth it. Nineteen people expressed an interest, but the college didn’t know how many actually would commit to the course through the end of the school year. The class needed 25 students.

Under the program, there are no tests and no grades, but there are class assignments. Students who successfully complete the course receive 12 college credits and may be eligible for scholarships if they continue their education.

The program is paid for by grants from Verizon, U.S. Bank and the Edmonds Community College Foundation.

Cogswell narrows search
for new president
Henry Cogswell College has narrowed its search for a new president to two candidates.

Frederick Snow, vice president and dean of online graduate programs at Norwich University in Vermont, and Homer Garcia, dean of the college of social and behavioral sciences at the University of Texas Pan American, visited the private college in downtown Everett in January.

There were more than 30 candidates. The college interviewed five before the two top candidates were chosen.

“We were quite satisfied with the quality of the applicants,” college spokesman Dick Doughty said.

The final decision rests with a San Diego-based foundation board that oversees Cogswell, along with two other colleges and two private social service agencies.

William Pickens, chancellor of the Foundation for Educational Achievement, which oversees Henry Cogswell College, said the board wants to find a president who can improve the college’s visibility — “not just as a Snohomish County presence but with a statewide name as well.”

The new president could be on the job by early March, he said.

The college began looking for a new president when Ron Hundley announced his resignation in July so he could move to the East Coast to be closer to his family. Hundley will help with the transition.

WSU brings new degree program
to University Center
In January, Washington State University began offering its doctor of education program at the University Center at Everett Station.

Programs of study for the doctoral degree include a common core of required courses plus a major emphasis in one area of specialization. A minor in a second area of specialization is required, according to WSU. Specializing areas include administration and curriculum and instruction, with each area requiring a specific cluster of courses.

The doctor of education program, offered by WSU’s College of Education, joins a host of other WSU programs already offered through the University Center, located at 3201 Smith Ave., Suite 200, in Everett. Other programs include bachelor’s degrees in business administration, business administration with a management information systems major, social sciences and nursing, and master’s degrees in engineering management and agriculture.

For more information on the doctor of education program, contact Dennis Ray by calling 509-358-7941 or by e-mail to dray@wsu.edu. For more information on the University Center, contact Gina Murray, coordinator of student services, at 425-259-8602 or by e-mail to gina.murray@universitycenters.info, or go online to www.universitycenters.info.

EdCC offers free wireless
Web service at campus study areas
This winter, Edmonds Community College upgraded its computer networks and installed receivers at key locations to provide free wireless Web service at commonly used study areas on campus.

The student government approved the $25,000 upgrade last spring, paid for with student technology fees.

“Wireless access is available at a lot of the four-year schools, and we thought our students should be able to go online when they are studying in the library or student lounges as well,” said Jeff Leveroni, the college’s executive director of information technology.

The new wireless service is expected to be a boon to students taking a mix of classes online and on campus. The college offers 17 complete certificates and degrees online and more than 200 individual online classes. Approximately 7,000 students enrolled in online classes last year, according to the college.

Wireless service is available from the college cafeteria, library and lounges in Snohomish, Alderwood, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace and Snoqualmie halls and the Triton Union and Beresford buildings.

Get information about earning
degrees online
Edmonds Community College will host an orientation meeting about online bachelor’s degrees at 6 p.m., Feb. 24, Snohomish Hall 304A, 20000 68th Ave. W., Lynnwood.

Attendees will learn how to start at EdCC for a two-year degree and continue on to earn a bachelor’s degree from Washington State University in human development, business administration (management information systems or general business) or social sciences — all online.

Representatives from both schools will be in attendance. For more information, call 425-640-1028. Go online to http:// campus.edcc.edu for directions to the campus.

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